In fiber optic telecommunications, insect-infestation can be a significant problem, especially for those types of equipment that are located in outdoor environments. In fiber optic connectivity, out of service conditions have been a result of insect-induced fiber breakage. Insects such as ants are able to enter telecommunications equipment through larger openings such as cable entry/exit points of the equipment and damage the optical fiber within the equipment. For example, in telecommunications equipment such as modules housing optical splitters, in order to accommodate a large number of split signal cables exiting the modules for subscriber connectivity, large exit openings are provided. Even when the maximum splitting capacity of a given splitter (e.g., a 1×32) is used, there might be ample room left around the exiting cables for allowing ants to enter the module.
It is desirable to find cost-effective solutions to these types of insect-infestation problems.